How the AFCON 2019 draw in Egypt will proceed

12 April 2019 – The CAF Executive Committee at its meeting on Thursday, 11 April 2019, in Cairo, Egypt approved the draw procedure for the final tournament of the Total Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2019. The procedure was proposed by the Organising Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations at its meeting 24-hours earlier.

The pots and seedings of the 24 qualified teams were decided based on the latest FIFA World rankings (released 4 April 2019), which is globally accepted and portrays a true reflection of the state of the qualified teams.

The draw takes place tonight (Friday, 12 April 2019) in Cairo, Egypt.

Teams have been separated into four seeding pots based on the Fifa world rankings released on 4 April. They will then be drawn into six groups of four.

The top two teams from each group, and four best third-placed teams, go into the quarter-finals.

The tournament is the biggest yet with 24 teams and the first to be held in June, instead of the usual January period.

It will take place from 21 June to 19 July.

Cameroon, who defeated Egypt in the final two years ago in Gabon, are the defending champions.

Burundi, Mauritania and Madagascar are making are debut at the tournament.

 

Below is the latest official FIFA ranking published on 4 April 2019:

Ranking FIFA ranking Countries
7 54 Cameroon (Level 1 – Holder of the Trophy)
8 57 Egypt (Level 1 – Host Country )
1 23 Senegal
2 28 Tunisia
3 42 Nigeria
4 45 Morocco
5 46 DR Congo
6 49 Ghana
9 65 Mali
10 65 Côte d’Ivoire
11 68 Guinea
12 70 Algeria
13 73 South Africa
14 79 Uganda
15 91 Benin
16 103 Mauritania
17 107 Madagascar
18 108 Kenya
19 110 Zimbabwe
20 113 Namibia
21 118 Guinea Bissau
22 122 Angola
23 131 Tanzania
24 136 Burundi

 

Based on the rankings, the established pots are as follows:

POT 1 EGYPT CAMEROON SENEGAL TUNISIA NIGERIA MOROCCO
POT 2 DR CONGO GHANA MALI COTE D’IVOIRE GUINEA ALGERIA
POT 3 SOUTH AFRICA UGANDA BENIN MAURITANIA MADAGASCAR KENYA
POT 4 ZIMBABWE NAMIBIA GUINEE BISSAU ANGOLA TANZANIA BURUNDI

 

According to the Article 73.1 of the regulations of the competition;

  • –  The organizing country (Egypt) shall be the head of group A.
  • –  The holder of the trophy (Cameroon) will be the head of one of the five other groups in addition to 4 other head of groups determined in accordance to the ranking.

Procedures of the draw:

The following 4 pots will be on stage:

Pot 4: Containing the 6 teams of level IV
Pot 3: Containing the 6 teams of level III
Pot 2: Containing the 6 teams of level II
Pot 1: Containing the 5 teams of level I (Host country is in position A1)

Step 1:

Pot 4: The 6 less seeded teams of level IV will be in pot 4

  • The first ball drawn will go directly to group A; in position A4
  • The second ball drawn will go directly to group B; in position B4
  • The third ball drawn will go directly to group C; in position C4
  • The fourth ball drawn will go directly to group D; in position D4
  • The fifth ball drawn will go directly to group E; in position E4
  • The sixth ball drawn will go directly to group F; in position F4

 

Step 2:

Pot 3: The 6 teams of level III will be in pot 3

  • The first ball drawn will go directly to group A; in position A3
  • The second ball drawn will go directly to group B; in position B3
  • The third ball drawn will go directly to group C; in position C3
  • The fourth ball drawn will go directly to group D; in position D3
  • The fifth ball drawn will go directly to group E; in position E3
  • The sixth ball drawn will go directly to group F; in position F3

 

Step 3:

Pot 2: The 6 teams of level II will be in pot 2

  • The first ball drawn will go directly to group A; in position A2
  • The second ball drawn will go directly to group B; in position B2
  • The third ball drawn will go directly to group C; in position C2
  • The fourth ball drawn will go directly to group D; in position D2
  • The fifth ball drawn will go directly to group E; in position E2
  • The sixth ball drawn will go directly to group F; in position F2

 

Step 4:

Pot 1: The Host team is already in position A1; the holder of the title and the other 4 teams of level 1 will be in Pot 1

  • The first ball drawn will go directly to group B; in position B1
  • The second ball drawn will go directly to group C; in position C1
  • The third ball drawn will go directly to group D; in position D1
  • The fourth ball drawn will go directly to group E; in position E1
  • The fifth ball drawn will go directly to group F; in position F1